Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Treasurer, Barbara Nekesa, has urged leaders and residents of the Bukedi sub-region to prioritize unity as a foundation for sustainable growth and development.
Bukedi comprises Busia, Butaleja, Tororo, Kibuku, Pallisa, Budaka, and Butebo districts.
Nekesa, who coordinated the sub-region during the recent elections, made the remarks while meeting a team of leaders who spearheaded the parish-based grassroots mobilization strategy.
The approach significantly boosted the party’s performance, particularly in the presidential race, where the NRM reportedly secured over 70 percent of the vote — a marked improvement from 2021.
The meeting took place at the NRM headquarters on Kyadondo Road in Kampala.
“I commend you for delivering an overwhelming victory to our presidential and parliamentary candidates across Bukedi,” Nekesa said.
“Now that the elections are behind us, we must remain united and work for the welfare of our people. Without unity, progress will be slow.”
She encouraged senior leaders, elected officials, cultural institutions, and community influencers to forge a common direction for the sub-region’s transformation.
Acknowledging Bukedi’s social diversity — including multiple cultural institutions and languages — Nekesa emphasized that such differences should not become sources of division.
“We have good infrastructure connecting our people and universal education programs that have created a common language to improve communication and facilitate socio-economic transformation,” she noted.
Shift to Economic Mobilization
Nekesa called on leaders to shift focus from political mobilization to economic empowerment, encouraging communities to embrace government wealth-creation initiatives.
“You have done well politically, but now the time has come to focus on economic mobilization,” she said.
“Our people need guidance on creating household wealth through programs such as the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and the Four-Acre Model, among others.”
She also cautioned against land fragmentation, noting that limited land holdings in Bukedi require intensive, productive use.
“Unlike areas where households own vast hectares, people in Bukedi must be guided toward intensive production. The little land we have must be protected and productively utilized. Our youth must avoid selling land for short-term gains. Once land is gone, it is gone,” Nekesa said.
NRM Director of Mobilization Rosemary Seninde described the parish-based mobilization approach as instrumental in delivering unprecedented results for the party’s presidential candidate.
“After elections, our task shifts to nation-building and wealth creation,” Seninde said. “The victory we celebrate was built on your resilience, loyalty, and hard work. You represented the party secretariat well, and we are proud of your commitment.”
NRM Electoral Commission Commissioner James Kinobe congratulated party structures for executing a highly successful mobilization strategy and dismissed opposition claims of vote rigging.
“Our National Chairman, HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, tasked us to mobilize support across villages, and the results are visible from the presidential level down to the parishes,” Kinobe said.
Sub-regional Coordinator Rogers Mulindwa also praised the team for what he described as a historic victory.
“The outcome of the concluded elections can only be compared to that of 1996. It was not by coincidence but by deliberate efforts of NRM leaders from the secretariat to the village level,” he said.
Leaders at the meeting agreed that the next phase in Bukedi will focus on strengthening unity and accelerating household income generation to improve livelihoods across the sub-region.
